First Play Live: The New Pornographers, Whiteout Conditions

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Following a week of rehearsals for their upcoming American and European tours, the New Pornographers stepped into the crucible of performing new songs for a live audience for the first time. This First Play Live session, recorded ahead of the release of the band's seventh album, Whiteout Conditions, was a trial by fire that induced an electric energy in the room — in this case the venerable Studio One at the CBC in its hometown of Vancouver.

Frontman A.C. Newman has been calling the sound of Whiteout Conditions "krautrock fifth dimension." It's hard to say how hard he's poking his tongue in his cheek when he says that, but it is true that synths, ostinato patterns and other sprockety effects contribute to the band's latest soundscape. There are also plenty of electric and acoustic guitars, pleasing backing vocals and indie hooks to keep the New Pornographers' fans more than happy.

Check out these live performances of five songs from Whiteout Conditions now, before the official album release date of April 7.

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